Self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus



March 1, 1960 J. J. CRANMORE SELF-LEVELING, STORING AND DISPENSING APPARAT Filed Dec. 24, 1954 FIG. I

INVENTOR m m i N m m N 09R m mm 5 m B H o J SELF-LEVELING, STORING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Application December 24, 1954, Serial No. 477,527 1 Claims. (Cl. 211 49 This invention relates to a self-leveling, storing, and dispensing apparatus of the type shown in copending U.S. application Serial No. 452,259, filed on August 26, 1954, by Arthur P. Simpson, bearing common ownership.

When a self-leveling apparatus is used as an island display or is placed next to a counter or at the end of a gondola in a supermarket, it is desirable that the material supporting carrier occupy as, little floor space as is necessary. If an elongated material supporting carrier rotates relative to the base,=additional floor space has to be allowed for such rotation. This rotation results because a compression spring twists as it is compressed or elongated.

It is an object of this invention to provide for a selfleveling, storing and dispensing apparatus which rides up and down on a center post passing upwardly through the center of the carrier wherein the material supporting carrier is maintained free from rotation while also maintaining the carrier free from binding on the center post.

Another object of this invention is to provide a selfleveling, storing, and dispensing apparatus wherein the carrier is mounted to move up and down on a center post which maintains the carrier free from rotating while provision is made for the lower end of the counter-balancing, compression spring to rotate freely.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a sectional side leveling dispenser.

Fig. 2 is a sectional Fig. 1.

The embodiment which I have used to illustrate the invention is an improvement over the structure shown in co-pending application of Arthur P. Simpson, referred to above, and consists of a base having a lower ballbearing race plate 12 secured thereto. Ball-bearings 14 traveling in raceways 16 are supported in the race plate 12 elevation of my improved selfplan view taken on line 2-2 of A central post 18 is fixedly secured to and extends upwardly from the base 10 and the race plate 12. An upper race plate 20 is held against the ball-bearing 14 by means of a conventional retaining ring 22 which is seated in a suitable groove 24 cut around the circumference of the post 18. The post 18 is made with axially extending guide ways on which tracks a corresponding sleeve 26 that fits the configuration of the guide ways. In the embodiment used to illustrate the invention I have shown how this guiding can be readily effected by employing a square post over which slides a sleeve having a hole of corresponding configuration (Fig. 2).

It will be appreciated that instead of a square post, other configurations, such as hexagonal, triangular, or a round rod with a vertically extending key-way, could be i the post 18 and is interposed between the upper race matically maintain the plate 20 and the sleeve 26. This spring 28 is of such a design that it counter alances material M placed on top of the material supporting carrier 30 so as to autotop of the material supported on the carrier platform 30 at a substantially constant level with respect to the top of the post 18, regardless of whether material is added to or removed from the material piled on the carrier 30.

.The top of the sleeve 26 may be provided with a flange 32 to facilitate its being attached to the material carrier platform 30. The upper end of the post may be provided with a bracket or suitable slot 34 into which an advertising poster may be inserted.

The material M may be placed on the carrier 30 in any suitable manner so as to fill out the surface of the carrier, so as to allow the second layer of material to be superimposed on the first layer of material. While it is not always necessary, it may be desirable in some instances to alternate the layers of superimposed material in such a way thateach layer binds the lower layers together as shown in the co-pending application of Arthur P. Simpson referred to above.

When material is placed on top of the carrier 30 the carrier automatically descends so that the top of the material is supported at a substantially constant level, and as the carrier 30 continues its descent it is prevented from rotating because the sleeve 26 engages with the guide ways formed on post 18. To allow for the turning action that takes place in the spring 28 as it undergoes compression or extension, the spring turns the plate 20 on the ballbearing 14 so that there is no tendency for the sleeve 26 to twist against the center post 18 which would cause it to hang-up.

The invention hereinabove described may be varied in about its lower end, a guideway formed on said post, a

sleeve mounted externally on said post for sliding movement up and down on said post, said means comprising a lower race plate positioned on said base and an upper race plate rotatable relative to said lower race plate, means formed on said sleeve co-actiug with said guide way to prevent said sleeve from rotating relative to said post, a material supporting platform atached to said sleeve and having a hole in the center thereof through which said post can extend, a retaining ring slidably received in said groove, a calibrated counter-balancing spring interposed between said sleeve and said upper race plate and mounted on the outside of said post to maintain the top of the material placed on said platform automatically at a constant level, and means enabling the lower end of said calibrated counterbalancing spring to rotate to thereby prevent jamming of the sleeve on said post as said platform moves up and down in maintaining the top of the material at a constant level.

2. A self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus comprising a material supporting carrier, a sleeve, a post fixedly connected to the carrier and extending upwardly 3 item the center thereof and passing through a hole formed in the center of said sleeve and carrier, said post having a circumfeerntial groove about the lower end thereof, a guideway extending along said post to maintain said sleeve free from rotating relative to said post, said post having an upper race plate mounted at its lower end, a retaining ring slidably received in said groove, a calibrated counterbalancing spring mounted over said post and positioned between said sleeve and said upper race plate, to allow the lower end of said counterbalancing spring to freely rotate when said spring undergoesv compression and extension to counterbalance material supported on said carrier to thereby prevent jarnming of the sleeve on said post.

3. A self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus comprising a base, a material supporting carrier movable up and down relative to said base, a post extending upwardly from the center of said base and through a hole formed in the center of said carrier, said post having a circumferential groove above the lower end thereof, a retaining ring slidably received in said groove, a lower race positioned on said base, an upper race rotatable relative to said lower race and held in place by said retaining ring, a calibrated spring mounted over said post and positioned in between the upper race and said sleeve for counter-balancing material placed on said carrier to automatically maintain the top of said material at a constant elevation and coacting between said sleeve and said post for preventing said sleeve from rotating relative to said post as the sleeve and carrier move up and down on said post to permit the lower end of said spring to rotate as the spring undergoes compression and extension, to thereby prevent jamming of said sleeve on said 4. A self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus comprising a base, a post fixedly secured to and extending upwardly from the center of said base, said post having a circumferential grove about its lower end, a lower ball-bearing race positioned around said post and secured to said base, ball-bearings mounted on said race, an

upper ball-bearing race resting on said ball-bearings and surrounding said post and being freely rotatable relative thereto, a retaining ring received in said groove for limiting the distance between said upper and lower ball-bearing race to maintain said ball-bearings in place, a calibrated compression spring positioned over said post and having the lower end thereof supported on said upper ball-bearing race enabling the lower end of said spring to rotate when compressed, a sleeve positioned over said post and supported on the upper end of said spring, and a material supporting carrier platform connected to said sleeve and having a hole in the center thereof through which said post may extend, the rotation of the lower end of said spring thereby preventing the jamming of said sleeve on said post;

5. A self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus halving the features provided for in claim 4 wherein vertical gu-ideways are provided for on the post and said sleeve has guide-following means coac-ting with said guideways to prevent said sleeve from-rotating relative to said post as said carried platform moves up and down to maintain the top of the material at a constant level.

6. A self-leveling, storing and dispensing apparatus comprising a base, and having a circumferential groove about its lower end, a retaining ring slidably received in said groove, a square rod extending upwardly from said base, a compression spring positioned over said square rod and having a lower end, a bearing positioned between said base and said retaining ring to permit the lower end to freely turn relative to said base, a sleeve having a hole corresponding to the cross-sectional configuration of said post to allow said sleeve to move freely up and down on said post while preventing the sleeve from rotating relative to said post, and a material supporting carrier connected to said sleeve and having a hole in 'the center thereof to allow the post to extend upwardly therethrough.

7. A self-leveling, storing, and dispensing apparatus comprising a base, a post extending upwardly from said base and having a circumferential groove about its lower end, a ball-bearing raceway fixedly connected to said base and surrounding said post, a ball-bearing retaining plate mounted over said lower race, ball-bearings interposed between said lower race and said ball-bearing retaining plate and means for limiting the distance said ball-bearing plates can move apart from one another, a;

calibrated counter-balancing compression spring mounted over said post and supported at the lower end thereof on top of said ball-bearing retaining plate, a sleeve mounted for free, up and down movement on said post and resting on top of said calibrated compression spring and meansformed on said post and said sleeve for preventingrelative rotation of said sleeve to said post, the lower end of said spring being freely rotatable to prevent the jamming of said sleeve on the post.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 617,500 Ehling Ian. 10, 1899 1,113,202 Davis Oct. 13, 1914 1,319,949 Curran et a1. Oct. 28, 1919 2,211,314 Beggs Aug. 13, 1940 2,326,542 Leonard Aug. 10, 1943 2,426,995 Gibbs Sept. 9, 1947 2,490,125 Greppin Dec. 6, 1949* 2,540,525 Howarth et al Feb. 6, 1951 2,709,561 Shelley May 31, 1955 

